A/N: I know a lot of people don't believe Kurt had an affair, but it was suggested, so just go with it. We can all interpret the finale in different ways. This chapter is just Diane and David.

Chicago, March 2016.

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Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley)

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Exiting the elevator on the 28th floor into the reception of what was currently Lockhart, Florrick and Associates, David Austen ignored the pleas of the receptionist and walked straight down the corridor towards the partners' offices. Diane's secretary had been given strict instructions not to disturb her with calls or visitors, so stood to stop David as he knocked gently on Diane's door. David Lee came out of his office and waved the young woman down, with a quiet, "He's OK," before returning to sit behind his own desk.

Diane looked up and smiled in recognition at her friend and he opened the door, closing it softly behind him. Without saying a word he walked across the room and sat down in one of the comfy chairs opposite her. He placed Diane's bag by the side of the desk. Diane smiled weakly at him and replaced the cap on her fountain pen. David could see several balled up pieces of paper in the waste paper bin beside her and wondered if she was trying to put her thoughts and feelings into words.

"I never thought I'd actually be a Hilary," Diane stated looking at the picture of herself next to the former First Lady. It was meant partly as a joke, but had a serious edge. Nobody predicted that Kurt would do anything to hurt Diane, however, the notion had to be considered.

"No," David said eventually, "but Kurt is definitely no Bill Clinton, politically or with respect to any sexual behaviour."

Diane gave a brief nod. "What do I do, David? Lucca and Alicia humiliated Kurt and I in court. They questioned the trust and honesty that is the very foundation of our marriage."

"You need to talk to Kurt. Not immediately. You need time to calm down and you both need time to think, about how to approach each other and what the answers to your questions could mean going forward."

Diane nodded, "How was he?" She knew her friend had been to visit her husband. When she walked from court she left everything behind, taking only her keys that were in her pocket. She had called David and told him what had happened. She briefly poured out her heart to him and, as she couldn't face returning to the court, asked him to collect her belongings. She also knew that David would have gone to speak to Kurt. She didn't ask him to, but equally she didn't try to stop him.

David pursed his lips, "He was quiet, uncertain and afraid. He wants to talk to you. You didn't give him a chance to answer Lucca's question and you need to know the answer."

Diane nodded, "Yes."

"I don't want to know the details, unless you want to tell me, but you need to know. You need to know from Kurt," he said before wincing slightly.

"David, what is wrong, are you in pain?" Diane asked, concerned for her friend.

David smiled and shook his head, a little embarrassed, "I hit Kurt," he said holding up his hand to display his reddened and split knuckles.

"Oh, David," Diane laughed, "defending my honour, like an eighteenth-century gent! Is he OK?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly a duel, I caught him off guard. Yeah, he'll be fine. Hurt his pride more than anything. The look on his face suggested he knew he deserved it for hurting you." Diane bobbed her head.

"I am struggling to comprehend what happened in court," she began. "I know Lucca was doing what we all do, zealously defending our client, but, but," she stumbled, "I can't believe they would bring my, our, personal life into it. That is just so low and I can't forgive them, at least at the moment."

"You don't have to," he shook his head, "Alicia and Lucca, yes, they were doing it for Peter, but I don't think, or at least I hope they didn't, do it out of spite or a wish to break up your marriage."

Diane looked pained and pinched the bridge of her nose. She sighed, unsure of what to think. "We have a firm. We were going to take a female-led firm forward to be the best in Chicago. Even David lee had quit wining quite as much. What do I do?"

"You talk to Kurt. Nothing else matters at the moment. You calmly talk and listen. Then you need to speak to Alicia and Lucca. Find out why they did it and then decide if the firm can survive. I don't think Lucca meant anything malicious, if anything she was Alicia's mouthpiece. I think the probing originated from Mrs Florrick," he said honestly.

….

They talked for a few more minutes before David said, "Dee, do you remember a few years ago when you were undecided about continuing to chase Kurt and,"

Diane interrupted, "I didn't chase him!" she scoffed.

"You drove forty miles out into the country, late at night, to see him – tried to make it look like you just popped by!" he smirked. Diane couldn't help but smile at the recollection.

"My point," David continued, "was that you arranged a date with Jack Copeland on Friday night and one with Kurt on Saturday. Even though you weren't fully committed to Kurt at that point, you weren't entirely honest with Kurt or Jack, and your actions could be misinterpreted."

Diane closed her eyes slowly and a pained expression crossed her face. When she eventually opened her eyes and looked at David, "Yes, I see that."

"So, what I am saying is, you both could be guilty of ignoring parts of your past. Maybe they are better staying there, in the past."

"Before we married, we met each other's friends. He liked you and Will but didn't care for others, like Francesca and Lyle," she smiled ever-so-briefly, "I asked to meet Kurt's best friends and he introduced me to three young, giggly, women – the fire-breathing crazies!" she recalled.

"Dee, Dee," he said leaning forward trying to calm her, "maybe that is it, you asked to meet his best friends, not all his friends and not his former flames. You don't even know if Kurt and Holly were even friends then."

Diane's face stiffened and a look of confusion crossed her face, "I, I, didn't know about Holly then. I didn't meet her."

"Yes, you didn't meet her. So," he paused, getting up to walk round to Diane's side of the desk, "she wasn't important to him." He took Diane's hands in his, "She wasn't important enough to meet you. He obviously didn't count her as one of his best friends," he said, squeezing her hands with his last comment.

"Or he was trying to hide her from me," she snapped.

"No," David shook his head, "I don't think he's smart or sneaky enough to do that."

"I asked him if he'd slept with any of them, he said no," she said blinking back a tear.

"Again," David said, a little exasperated, but he tried to stop it being evident to Diane, "you didn't ask if he had slept with any of his former charges," he gave a half smile, "sorry, no pun intended, former students, you asked specifically about those ballistics experts. He said no, which was the truth."

"Not the whole truth," she said a little dejected.

"Would you want to know his entire sexual history?"

Diane shook her head, "No."

"Well, then, if he had a relationship with Holly in the past, which I believe he did, then it should remain in the past," David replied. He chose his words carefully as he was unsure of what 'rekindled' meant and how recent it was.

Diane nodded slowly before swallowing hard. She looked down at her desk and pushed the papers aside, fiddling with the top sheet on which was written the latest iteration of her note to Kurt. "She's so young, David," she said eventually.

David smirked, "I think she is older than she looks. She was one of Kurt's first students and he has been teaching for many years," he reminded her. "I do not believe Kurt would conduct a relationship with a student, it just doesn't seem like him. I do think that Kurt likes beautiful women," he said placing his hand on Diane's shoulder and meeting her gaze, "like you, and could have had his head turned by a young former student, a colleague," he concluded.

Diane stared at him. She was unsure of what to think. She wanted to believe David. She wanted, or needed, to believe that her husband was true to her. Contemplating anything else was something she did not want to do, but the fear was there that she might have to. Whatever Lucca implied through her questions Diane was wise enough to consider both potential answers.

Yes, she didn't wait for Kurt to answer in court; that was probably a mistake. But, equally, he didn't immediately protest or rebut the claims. He also didn't shout or chase after her. To David, that was an admission of guilt – even if it was historic guilt. She looked over at her old friend. He was very straightforward, simple even, when it came to relationships. That was primarily due to personal heartbreak and a need to build a wall around his heart, something his daughter had also done. If Lucca had accused David of cheating on his wife he would have instantly denied it and called her a lying bitch. She smiled, as very few subjects got David riled; he was very much the quiet Englishman, but love, family and friends raised his blood pressure. He had demonstrated that today with his verbal and physical attack on Kurt, even if he was channelling the somewhat hot-headed and greatly missed Will Gardner.

…..

A short while later they were waiting for the elevator, so that Diane could go talk to Kurt and David would tell Angela of the day's events. Both Diane and David wondered what would happen after that conversation. Angela had become close to Alicia, but she fiercely guarded Diane, so Peter Florrick could very easily be the downfall of another of Alicia's friendships, just as he had been with his wife's relationship with Kalinda.

In an effort to lighten the mood, David said, "Now, Angela would probably say that if you are looking for hot professors, Cary has something to worry about!" Diane threw her head back in laughter as she got into the elevator car. It would be the only time she would laugh that evening.

A/N: So, let me know what you think. I know not everyone agrees with the Kings' plotting. After the sadness of this chapter, we might have some more Alicia, Angela and Will before we return to the current canon.